Chapter 28

by Jane Austen

　　Every object in the next day's journey was new and interestingto Elizabeth; and her spirits were in a state of enjoyment; for shehad seen her sister looking so well as to banish all fear for herhealth, and the prospect of her northern tour was a constantsource of delight.When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford, every eyewas in search of the Parsonage, and every turning expected tobring it in view. The palings of Rosings Park was their boundaryon one side. Elizabeth smiled at the recollection of all that shehad heard of its inhabitants.At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping tothe road, the house standing in it, the green pales, and the laurelhedge, everything declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins andCharlotte appeared at the door, and the carriage stopped at thesmall gate which led by a short gravel walk to the house, amidstthe nods and smiles of the whole party. In a moment they wereall out of the chaise, rejoicing at the sight of each other. Mrs.Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, andElizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming when shefound herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly thather cousin's manner were not altered by his marriage; his formalcivility was just what it had been, and he detained her someminutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his inquiries after allher family. They were then, with no other delay than hispointing out the neatness of the entrance taken into the house;and as soon as they were in the parlour, he welcomed them asecond time, with ostentatious formality to his humble abode,and punctually repeated all his wife's offers of refreshment.Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; and she could nothelp in fancying that in displaying the good proportion of theroom, its aspect and its furniture, he addressed himselfparticularly to her, as if wishing to make her feel what she hadlost in refusing him. But though everything seemed neat andcomfortable, she was not able to gratify him by any sigh ofrepentance, and rather looked with wonder at her friend that shecould have so cheerful an air with such a companion. WhenMr. Collins said anything of which his wife might reasonably beashamed, which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarilyturned her eye on Charlotte. Once of twice she could discern afaint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear. Aftersitting long enough to admire every article of furniture in theroom, from the sideboard to the fender, to give an account oftheir journey, and of all that had happened in London, Mr.Collins invited them to take a stroll in the garden, which waslarge and well laid out, and to the cultivation of which heattended himself. To work in this garden was one of his mostrespectable pleasures; and Elizabeth admired the command ofcountenance with which Charlotte talked of the healthfulness ofthe exercise, and owned she encouraged it as much as possible.Here, leading the way through every walk and cross walk, andscarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises he askedfor, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which leftbeauty entirely behind. He could number the fields in everydirection, and could tell how many tress there were in the mostdistant clump. But of all the views which his garden, or whichthe country or kingdom could boast, none were to be comparedwith the prospect of Rosings, afforded by an opening in the treesthat bordered the park nearly opposite the front of his house. Itwas a handsome modern building, well situated on rising ground.From his garden, Mr. Collins would have led them round his twomeadows; but the ladies, not having shoes to encounter theremains of a white frost, turned back; and while Sir Williamaccompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and friend over thehouse, extremely well pleased, probably, to have the opportunityof showing it without her husband's help. It was rather small,but well built and convenient; and everything was fitted up andarranged with a neatness and consistency of which Elizabethgave Charlotte all the credit. When Mr. Collins could beforgotten, there was really an air of great comfort throughout,and by Charlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposedhe must be often forgotten.She had already learnt that Lady Catherine was still in thecountry. It was spoken of again while they were at dinner, whenMr. Collins joining in, observed:"Yes, Miss Elizabeth, you will have the honour of seeing LadyCatherine de Bourgh on the ensuing Sunday at church, and Ineed not say you will be delighted with her. She is all affabilityand condescension, and I doubt not but you will be honouredwith some portion of her notice when service is over. I havescarcely any hesitation in saying she will include you and mysister Maria in every invitation with which she honours us duringyour stay here. Her behaviour to my dear Charlotte is charming.We dine at Rosings twice every week, and are never allowed towalk home. Her ladyship's carriage is regularly ordered for us.I should say, one of her ladyship's carriages, for she hasseveral.""Lady Catherine is a very respectable, sensible woman indeed,added Charlotte, "and a most attentive neighbour.""Very true, my dear, that is exactly what I say. She is the sort ofwoman whom one cannot regard with too much deference."The evening was spent chiefly in talking over Hertfordshirenews, and telling again what had already been written; and whenit closed, Elizabeth, in the solitude of her chamber, had tomeditate upon Charlotte's degree of contentment, to understandher address in guiding, and composure in bearing with, herhusband, and to acknowledge that it was all done very well. Shehad also to anticipate how her visit would pass, the quiet tenorof their usual employments, the vexatious interruptions of Mr.Collins, and the gaieties of their intercourse with Rosings. Alively imagination soon settled it all.About the middle of the next day, as she was in her room gettingready for a walk, a sudden noise below seemed to speak thewhole house in confusion; and, after listening a moment, sheheard somebody running upstairs in a violent hurry, and callingloudly after her. She opened the door and met Maria in thelanding place, who, breathless with agitation, cried out--"Oh, my dear Eliza! pray make haste and come into thedining-room, for there is such a sight to be seen! I will not tellyou what it is. Make haste, and come down this moment."Elizabeth asked questions in vain; Maria would tell her nothingmore, and down they ran into the dining-room, which frontedthe lane, in quest of this wonder! It was two ladies stopping in alow phaeton at the garden gate."And is this all?" cried Elizabeth. "I expected at least that thepigs were got into the garden, and here is nothing but LadyCatherine and her daughter.""La! my dear," said Maria, quite shocked at the mistake, "it isnot Lady Catherine. The old lady is Mrs. Jenkins, who liveswith them; the other is Miss de Bourgh. Only look at her. Sheis quite a little creature. Who would have thought that she couldbe so thin and small?""She is abominably rude to keep Charlotte out of doors in all thiswind. Why does she not come in?""Oh, Charlotte says she hardly ever does. It is the greatest offavours when Miss de Bourgh comes in.""I like her appearance," said Elizabeth, struck with other ideas."She looks sickly and cross. Yes, she will do for him very well.She will make him a very proper wife."Mr. Collins and Charlotte were both standing at the gate inconversation with the ladies; and Sir William, to Elizabeth's highdiversion, was stationed in the doorway, in earnestcontemplation of the greatness before him, and constantlybowing whenever Miss de Bourgh looked that way.At length there was nothing more to be said; the ladies drove on,and the others returned into the house. Mr. Collins no soonersaw the two girls than he began to congratulate them on theirgood fortune, which Charlotte explained by letting them knowthat the whole party was asked to dine at Rosings the next day.